Fans of the hit sitcom “Seinfeld” could recall the episode during which Elaine (performed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) hilariously examined constructive for opium after consuming a muffin containing poppy seeds — which received her kicked off a piece journey to Kenya.
But for 2 pregnant ladies in New Jersey, the real-life repercussions of consuming poppy seeds after which testing constructive for medicine weren’t almost as humorous.
The ladies ate bagels with poppy seeds final yr earlier than heading to 2 separate hospitals to offer beginning to their kids. Hospital employees administered drug checks to each ladies — which got here again constructive for opioids, as a press launch from the New Jersey ACLU indicated.
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The hospitals reported the ladies to the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) for potential abuse and neglect.
Now, the ladies are suing the hospitals for discriminatory practices. The New Jersey ACLU’s press launch shared the filed complaints for every girl.
Positive drug checks result in investigations, lawsuits
The ladies filed lawsuits towards the 2 hospitals, Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack and Virtua Voorhees Hospital in Voorhees Township, for giving them drug checks with out their information or consent and “in the absence of medical necessity.”
The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU) filed two complaints on March 8 to the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights on behalf of the ladies.
Hospital employees administered drug checks for each ladies (not pictured) in New Jersey — which then got here again constructive for opioids. (iStock)
The complaints cite a violation of New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD), which prohibits illegal employment discrimination based mostly on intercourse and being pregnant, in keeping with the identical press launch.
There can also be a federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which “prohibits discrimination based upon pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions,” and “requires that women who are pregnant, or affected by related conditions, must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations.”
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“No one should be subjected to unnecessary and nonconsensual drug tests,” stated ACLU-NJ employees lawyer Molly Linhorst in a press launch.
“Because of what happened, I live in fear of medical tests and how they might be used against me as a mother,” stated one of many ladies in New Jersey (not pictured), as a press launch from the ACLU famous. (iStock)
“Our clients are sending a clear message to hospitals that these testing and reporting policies are unacceptable.”
She additionally stated, “Discriminatory testing policies like these upend what should be a time of joy for families, and so often subject them to further trauma and unwarranted investigation by the state.”
“No one should be subjected to unnecessary and nonconsensual drug tests.”
One of the ladies, named within the criticism as Kaitlin Ok., stated in a press release that she feels violated.
Because poppy seeds come from the opium poppy plant, which can also be the supply of opioid medicine, the seeds are coated with hint quantities of the illicit substances. (iStock)
“This whole ordeal has been extremely stressful and has turned our lives upside down and now, because of what happened, I live in fear of medical tests and how they might be used against me as a mother,” she stated, because the ACLU press launch famous.
“I found out later that the lab used a testing threshold far, far lower than what the federal government uses.”
Why do poppy seeds set off constructive drug checks?
Opiates might be detected in urine drug checks for so long as two days after consuming meals containing poppy seeds, in keeping with Winchester Hospital in Masssachusetts.
Opiates might be detected in urine drug checks for so long as two days after somebody eats meals containing poppy seeds. (iStock)
“Poppy seeds can cause a urine drug test to screen positive for opioids such as morphine, codeine and heroin,” stated Dr. Fara Khorassani, well being sciences affiliate medical professor on the UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences in Irvine, California, in an e-mail to Fox News Digital.
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Because poppy seeds come from the opium poppy plant, which can also be the supply of opioid medicine, the seeds are coated with hint quantities of the illicit substances.
“If someone is eating large amounts of poppy seeds and has to get a urine drug screen, they should avoid eating the poppy seeds within 48 hours of the drug screen,” stated Dr. Khorassani.
“Otherwise, most assays [laboratory tests] will not detect the trace amounts of opioids from poppy seeds.”
Any given drug check’s outcome will depend upon the “cutoff concentration,” a health care provider advised Fox News Digital. In medical settings, the cutoff tends to be decrease. (iStock)
In addition to bagels and different pastries, some poppy-based teas may cause constructive urine drug checks for opioids, the physician famous.
“Other than that, hemp-containing foods may cause urine drug screens positive for THC, as they have variable concentrations of cannabinoids,” she stated.
Results depend upon drug check ‘cutoff’ pointers
Any given drug check’s outcome will depend upon the “cutoff concentration,” Gary M. Reisfield, M.D., affiliate professor of the Division of Addiction Medicine on the University of Florida, advised Fox News Digital.
“For example, in most workplace drug testing programs, the cutoff is 2,000 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter), which would screen out most (but not all) results due to poppy seeds,” he stated.
Poppy seeds come from the opium poppy plant, which can also be the supply of opioid medicine.
However, in medical settings corresponding to hospitals, the cutoff could also be as little as 300 ng/mL.
“At this lower cutoff, it’s actually pretty easy to test positive for opiates,” stated Dr. Reisfield. “A lot depends on how much you eat and the opiate profile of the food — which is not posted on the package.”
A few poppy seed bagels, a bigger poppy seed muffins or a chunk of poppy seed Danish might yield a constructive outcome, he stated.
Prior false positives from poppy seeds
Pregnant ladies in a number of different states have filed comparable fits difficult hospital drug checks.
In January, a criticism was filed towards Saint Alexius Hospital in Chicago after a pregnant girl was drug-tested with out consent, as detailed in a press launch from the Illinois ACLU. The girl had eaten cake containing poppy seeds earlier than coming to the hospital.
The check was constructive for opioids, resulting in a three-month investigation by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
“Poppy seeds can cause a urine drug test to screen positive for opioids such as morphine, codeine and heroin,” a health care provider advised Fox News Digital. (iStock)
In 2021, two pregnant ladies have been drug-tested with out consent at Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, New York, in keeping with a press launch from The New York Civil Liberties Union and Pregnancy Justice, a New York-based nonprofit that goals to guard pregnant ladies’s rights.
Both ladies, who had additionally eaten meals with poppy seeds, examined constructive.
The hospital reported them to the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR), which led to searches of their properties.
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“It is our customary approach not to comment on pending litigation,” Daniel Moise, a spokesperson for Virtua Vorhees, stated in an emailed response to a Fox News Digital question.
“As a health system dedicated to providing safe, comprehensive and equitable care to the community, we are fully committed to reviewing this matter.”
“This whole ordeal has turned our lives upside down.”
Fox News Digital additionally reached out to Hackensack University Medical Center however didn’t obtain an instantaneous response.
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Hackensack University Medical Center’s web site states that the hospital helps The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.
Fox News Digital additionally reached out to the New Jersey ACLU for remark.
